What exactly is "HP One Agent" and how do I stop Windows from reconfiguring it daily?

[Javier54]

I'm just saying that putting an Agent inside a controller, I don't see it as normal, not from HP, not from Microsoft. Best regards.

Whoever wants to and as a help, there is a momentary solution, so that it does not reinstall : Look at my reply, you go into Windows/system 32/driverstore/filerepository and look for the driver hpcustomcapc.inf_amd64, you go into the x64 folder. You look for the program that is inside the driver, select with the right mouse button you extend it you go to properties, security, advanced options, change the owner for your administrators user, apply and accept, now you go to edit and mark all the properties of everyone, the last one is checked and you delete it. Problem solved until the next update, but since you already know how to remove it. Remember to uninstall first. Best regards 

[dbookbinder]

It seems to be related to HP PCs. I don't have an HP Printer, and HP downloaded it to my midrange HP Laptop 17, running Windows 11 Pro. HP didn't install it on my girlfriend's laptop, which is an older, lower-end machine running Windows 10 Home, however, so it may need a certain level of PC to make the overhead worthwhile. She does have an HP printer.

[codger65]

"HP One Agent app" - has anyone done a complete Windows OS "clean install" of Windows 11 without installing "any" of the HP bloatware apps (including the HP One Agent app) to see if that solves the problem of HP One Agent re-installing itself and constantly creating restore points?

After reading through all the attempts at removing the HP One Agent app and discovering it re-installs itself again and the worst part is that it creates restore point constantly and effectively using up your allotted HD space configured for creating those restore points (and then you will not be able to restore your computer if needed because the One Agent app used up all your restore point HD space) I was wondering if anyone has tried to do a complete clean install of Windows 11 (windows 11 pro in my case) without installing any of the HP bloatware apps (including HP One Agent) to see if this solves the problem?  I realize that Microsoft updates will re-install the HP One Agent app again so I guess you would also have to configure MS Updates to not install automatically?

[dbookbinder]

You wrote: "... discovering it re-installs itself again and the worst part is that it creates restore point constantly and effectively using up your allotted HD space configured for creating those restore points (and then you will not be able to restore your computer if needed because the One Agent app used up all your restore point HD space)"

I haven't seen HP One Agent do this. I changed the HP One Agent task to run every 24 hours, instead of every 12, and when it updated itself today, it did not create a restore point, and it did not change the task trigger back to every 12 hours. It just updated itself.

I run a task that creates a restore point every 24 hours. It may be that, because that task has already created a restore point within the previous 24 hours, HP One Agent isn't permitted to create one, but regardless, the restore points are created according to my schedule, and I can choose among about a week's worth of them if I need to restore my system.

The only problem I have with HP One Agent is that I don't know what it does. 

[BV92]

Hello,

After reviewing the "computer reliability and problem history" (Using Windows Tool) and the restore points created (Using CCleaner),

I  had observed  this for the following cases:

CASE 1: When updating "HP One Agent" using Windows Update (Installation of a new version of the corresponding "HP Inc. -SoftwareComponent"):

1) Creating a restore point

2) Update of the scheduled task "HPOneAgentRepairTask"

with modification of the following parameters:

 - Task activation/deactivation:

    Activated (reactivated if it was deactivated, otherwise it remains activated).

- Task trigger conditions / scheduled time:

   Modified with date and time corresponding to that of the "HP One Agent"      update by Windows Update.

- Path of the "HPOneAgent.exe" program to run:

  C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{DeviceID}\HPOneAgent.exe (modified with a new DeviceID corresponding to the new   version of "HP One Agent").

3) At the next logon or every 12 hours:

Reconfiguration of the "HP One Agent" application.

CASE 2: If we uninstall “HP One Agent”

It is reinstalled automatically and the same thing happens as when updating "HP One Agent" using Windows Update:
Creation of a restore point, followed at each logon or every following 12 hours by a reconfiguration of the "HP One Agent" application.

Note 1: Hypothesis concerning the repeated reconfiguration of "HP One Agent":
It is the scheduled task "HPOneAgentRepairTask" (if it is active) which by running the program C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{DeviceID}\HPOneAgent.exe (with the repair option) causes the reconfiguration of "HP One Agent ".
If we deactivate this task, there is no longer any reconfiguration of "HP One Agent" until the next update of "HP One Agent" by Windows Update.

I may have a solution to keep this task disabled after updating "HP One Agent" via Windows Update and thus prevent repeated reconfigurations,
but I have to wait for the next update to check it.

Note 2: There is no (contrary to what I said previously: I apologize) repeated creation of restore points,
but only creation of a single restore point following an update or reinstallation of "HP One Agent" (as following the installation of a good number of applications).
However, there are many “HP One Agent” reconfigurations.

Note 3: As for why "HP One Agent" automatically reinstalls itself if we uninstall it, I still don't have an explanation.

BV92.

[Maui_Tech_Gurus]

I managed to get rid of it. As just uninstalling it did work as it will just reinstall after a reboot we had to resort to extreme measures to get rid of it. The way this is done by HP is really sketchy behavior and a complete intrusion. We had systems that started running high fans, one HP Victus laptop even did a thermal crash after fans were running high for a while. Sorting through event data makes it clear that our troubles started on 2/13/24 when suddenly the HP One Agent started appearing on systems. 

We ended up doing the following; 

Uninstalled all the HP warez except for some HP LaserJet printer drivers that we left. 

Disabled the tasks in Task Scheduler and also altered the tasks so they couldn't run. 

Deleted the HP folders from the drive; had to seize ownership and tweak permissions to get to it.

Ran old 'HiJackThis' to whack bunch of stuff

Ran Ccleaner to further whack, cleanup registry etc. … 

We have not seen it since.

Our HP printers are still working - so it seems related to PC devices not printers.

[Javier54]

I personally don't know. I think it has to do with HP app usage data. I don't like it when they put an application inside a driver, because it smells bad. We need to be clearer. Best regards

[BV92]

Hello,

Here is some additional information.

As was said previously (by Javier54) and I confirm, "HP One Agent" is indeed contained in the HP Inc. driver - SoftwareComponent - 1.64.3626.0 (the most recent version for me) which is installed in

C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository
Driver: hpcustomcapcomp.inf_amd64_VERSIONID

(hpcustomcapcomp.inf_amd64_80f3ed30bd2427bc for version 1.64.3626.0)

Examining the contents of the driver we see this:

In the driver configuration file "hpcustomcapcomp.inf":
     We find lines:          HPOneAgent.exe = 1

                                           HPOneAgent.exe, , %COPYFLG_FORCE_FILE_IN_USE%

In the driver's x64 folder:
     We find a file:           HPOneAgent.exe

I downloaded the following 3 previous versions

of the HP Inc. - SoftwareComponent driver:
(On the website: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=HP%20SoftwareComponent)

HP Inc. - SoftwareComponent - 1.63.3600.0      result => HPOneAgent present
HP Inc. - SoftwareComponent - 1.62.3534.0      result => HPOneAgent missing
HP Inc. - SoftwareComponent - 1.61.3516.0      result => HPOneAgent missing

***************************************************
So HPOneAgent only exists since version :

HP Inc. - SoftwareComponent - 1.63.3600.0.  

(Driver version 12/22/2023, 1.63.3600.0)

***************************************************

​...........................................................................................
;
; hpcustomcapcomp.inf
;
; Installs the HP Application Driver Component
;
; Copyright(c) 2018, HP Development Company, L.P.All rights reserved.
; This software contains confidential and proprietary information of HP.
; The user of this software agrees not to disclose, disseminate or copy
; such Confidential Information and shall use the software only in accordance
; with the terms of the license agreement the user entered into with HP.
;

[Version]
Signature = $Windows NT$
Class = SoftwareComponent
ClassGuid = {5c4c3332-344d-483c-8739-259e934c9cc8}
Provider = %Company%
CatalogFile.ntamd64 = hpcustomcapcompx64.cat
CatalogFile.ntx86 = hpcustomcapcompx86.cat
DriverVer = 12/22/2023,1.63.3600.0
PnpLockdown = 1
...........................................................................................

Best regards.

BV92.

[Javier54]

Muy bien explicado

[codger65]

Seems that you have spent considerable time and effort on this problem - so what is your take away on this?